The Death of Uther Pendragon
by mydoctortennant
Summary: AU; the thoughts of Arthur, Morgana, Merlin and Gwen as Uther dies saving his people...


**Arthur**

I don't understand this. I don't. For so many years you've been there for me and now you're not. I don't know what to do. I don't know what to say. I don't feel ready for this. I'm _not_ ready for this. Why did you go out in the fight? Why?

Why couldn't you just let me be the leader of the Army? I could do it. I can. I have to now. On my own. Without you. I don't know what I'm doing. I don't know which way to turn. Father, I've never been so lost. I have nobody.

But I have everybody at the same time.

Gaius is helping me in every way he can. Leon too. He's acting as the charge of the knights whilst I find my feet. I didn't ever think that I'd need to find them so soon. I thought I had another three years. Maybe not that long, but I thought I had a bit longer left to learn how to be a King.

You said I was ready but I'm not.

I'll never be ready. Not completely.

I have help. I know I do. I have people I can rely on, people I love, and people I need. One person more than anyone. I don't think I could do any of this without her. She's been my voice of reason for so long now. I'm sorry I was never truthful with you but the one time you found out you tried kill her. I should have been honest. I should have told you from the start. I can promise you I'm not enchanted. I'm not under any spell.

The only spell Guinevere's cast on me is love. That's stupid isn't it? But I hope you understand. I know you were in love once, with my mother. I just wish you could have believed it. I really do. I don't care that she's a servant. She's not a servant to me; I doubt she ever was.

Even with Guinevere, I've never felt so alone in my life.

You might have had your faults, father, but you were and always will be the only parent I ever knew. You cannot choose your parents or your family but you were a good father. I know you didn't say it, but I know you love me and I know you are proud of me. I know you have faith in me. Far more than I have in myself.

I will do my best for you father. I will carry on the name you have built. Though I know there are some changes I will make that you might not agree with, but I assure you, it's all what is best for the kingdom.

Nobility should be something you earn, not are handed on a platter. You know that. You fought for Camelot and you won. I just wish it hadn't been war that had taken you from me in the end.

I'll always love you, father.

**Morgana**

You couldn't even die right, could you?

You spent so much of your life lying to everybody around you. You needn't have kill your wife, you had an heir all along. You knew it. For so many a year you lied to me, _Father_. you should have died at the hands of magic not by the sword.

Camelot deserved a better leader than you. All you ever did was lie and cheat them of the best life available to them. You'd kill them for no good reason. You poisoned the world against my kind. Against the people I belong to.

It was a joke for you to ever call me your daughter. Not once in your life did you ever recognise me as such. For years you watched me mourn for a father who had died; but my father never did die, did he? I wish he had been my father because at least then I would have been the daughter of a good man!

We all deserve better than you. Arthur did.

What sort of father let's his son grow up surrounded by lies. Did you ever tell him the truth? Once in your life did you ever speak the truth to him? I doubt it. He was always a brother to me. always. Even when I didn't know how close to the truth I was I that thought. Imagine if I'd married him. Why would you endorse a relationship between your children? You should be glad he fell in love with a servant.

A Commoner for Queen. I hope you're turning in your grave.

He didn't waste his time being open about his feelings for her once you were gone. It might come as a surprise to _you_, my _lord_, but nobody else seemed surprised. If anything most support it. They can see it in his eyes. He's not enchanted. He never was.

You were so blinded by hate and fear that you never saw what was right before your very eyes. I wish you'd survived. So much I wanted to bring you down myself. Bring you to your knees and make you confess all your lies. Unleash all of your anger and hate on those who you sought to _protect_. Who was protecting me when all your attentions went on your beloved son?

I was never good enough for you. I was never good enough for you admit to being my father.

I'm glad you're dead. I'm glad you're gone from my life.

Magic will return to Camelot. Arthur is not as blinded as you. It will take time but one day sorcery will be welcomed within these walls. You will see, Uther Pendragon, what horrors you brought on your people because of your pointless fears.

My sister may be gone, but I am not alone.

Arthur would be a great King.

But I will be a better Queen. Do not think I will let you get away with your treachery now you are beneath the Earth.

**Merlin**

I admit; I never thought you would go like that. The first day I came to Camelot I watched you kill you man. Only it wasn't you wielding the axe. Within weeks of being here you condemned me to death for trying to protect your son and sole heir to the throne. After that you were willing to let me die. You do nothing but help yourself.

You are so scared by what you do not understand that you were willing to rip out your son's heart and have it killed before his eyes. You did not understand your own daughter's differences. You never noticed how much she changed, how many times she tried to kill you. How many times I saved your life you'll never know. Nor would you care to, I imagine.

You do not care for the opinion of your people only of your fellow noblemen.

Arthur on the other hand is far different from you. He'll be a King who rules with his head and his heart together. There is no combination like it and that alone will make him a stronger King than you ever were. He values what people think, he believes in equal opportunities no matter what your lineage.

His most loyal followers come from peasantry. Others you never gave the chance to prove themselves.

Others like me; I might be a servant but deep down Arthur knows I am far much more than that. I know he worries about what kind of King he is going to be, he thinks he will never match up to you. With every inch of respect; he would have always been a better King than you.

He listens. He doesn't assume that he knows everything. He knows that magic can be used for good or for evil. It can be used by good people for bad things. It is never as clear cut as you make it out to be. The world does not consist of black and white. Good and bad. Pure and evil. The world is all shades of grey. That's what you never understood. That is why Arthur will be a better King and better person. He knows to trust his instinct without wrongly trying people.

He is fair.

He is trusted.

He is far more a man than you would ever be.

I am thankful, in a way, that you were not killed by what you so feared. If you were Arthur would never have accepted sorcery. He would have been clouded by your wrong judgements and your misteachings like so many before him.

You made one too many mistakes in your time, sire. You forgot that magic will always be a part of the world no matter how you deem it. Ban something on pain of death and people will act out and act against you. Arthur understands. He understands the need for a fair and just trial.

No more innocent men will die at the hand of the new King.

**Gwen**

How many people have you wronged in your time, my lord? How many people have you condemned to death for crimes they did not commit? You had my father killed. You would have had me killed because you were too blind to see what was right before your very eyes. You turned something as innocent as love into a crime.

No matter how may wrongs you did, you were always his father, he would have always forgiven you. He protected you from so much. You never noticed.

Over the last few years he grew from a child into the King who will be the best sovereign this kingdom has ever seen. But did you ever see that? Did you ever recognise it? He was always so keen to prove himself to you. Very quest he completed at a risk to his own life. Every creature, every threat he over came with no regard to his own well being. He did it all for us. The people of Camelot. His people.

He saved my life.

He's saved Merlin's life.

He's saved Morgana's life.

He has saved every single one of his citizens and does he ask for anything in return? No. He doesn't need the fame or the glory. He shows humility. He bows down to those who deserve it, even those of a lesser birth than him.

He treats his people with a respect that you never did. I do not even know if you were capable.

Did you ever tell him you were proud of him?

Every day he shows me how much each of us should be proud to call him our sovereign. He is the King and for once I will willingly do anything he wishes. I love him more than words can say and I know that somebody like you would never understand.

I was nearly killed for my love and my loyalty.

I always wanted to ask, my lord, did you truly believe what you were accusing me of? Or was it the poison and the lies that Morgana fed you that made you think it? Did you ever contemplate for a second that your son could love me? You were letting me go. I would never have questioned it. I would have left and waited for Arthur to become King. Despite your lack of it; I did respect you and your decision. I even understood it.

I am truly sorry that you couldn't accept it.

I will only ever do what is right by Arthur. I know that one day I might have to sacrifice my love for him but it is my hope that the world will embrace change. I love him more than words can say. He is my world. He is my King and there is nothing I wouldn't do for him.

You refused to accept my existence yet your family line will exist on with me. Camelot had changed. It has mourned your loss and now it is moving on.


End file.
